Sea World's trainers have not interacted with Sea World's captive orcas in the water since the tragic death of trainer Dawn Brancheau, who was killed by a Sea World orca "Tilikum", in February 2010. The new show, "One Ocean", will feature trainers working from the show pools' stages rather than entering the water. Sea World reports that Tilikum is one of the orcas in rehearsals to join the new show.
WDCS maintains that the tragic death of Ms. Brancheau demonstrated one reason why orcas are inherently unsuitable for confinement in captivity. The premature deaths of several orcas at Sea World and other captive facilities in the last year add credence to this position.
Sea World is currently contesting a citation issued against it last year by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which determined that the company willfully exposed its employees to recognized hazards that were likely to cause death or serious physical harm in relation to its interactive orca programs. A hearing is scheduled for April 25.
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